Portable bullet trap

ABSTRACT

A portable bullet trap includes a trailer having a hitch. A bullet trap box is removably placed on the trailer. The bullet trap box is formed by a pair of spaced side walls interconnected by a back wall and having a front face. A bottom wall is below the side walls and the front face and back wall. A top wall is hinged to the back wall and is movable from a closed position covering the interior of the box and to an open position exposing the interior of the box. Baffles made from energy absorbing material, such as rubber, are detachably mounted within the box.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on provisional application Ser. No.61/844,033, filed Jul. 9, 2013, all of the details of which areincorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

One of the concerns in target shooting is that a bullet might hit thetarget and then penetrate and continue its motion until it strikes anunintended object or person. Some attempts have been made to providesome structure for trapping a bullet. U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,880, forexample, discloses a ballistic target which includes a bullet stoppingplate with a bullet trapping panel. U.S. Published ApplicationUS2012/0038110 discloses a bullet decelerating medium and bullettrapping system which includes a support frame and flowable materialdisposed on an upper surface of the support frame. The support frame hasan upper surface configured to support associated material. The flowablematerial includes a plurality of sheets of substantially rectangularmaterial with each sheet configured for deflecting the associated bulletfrom its linear path and absorbing energy from the associated bullet bythe deflecting, thereby slowing the traveling of the associated bulletthrough the flowable material.

It would also be desirable if some form of bullet trap could be providedwhich would contain the bullet so that the spent bullet could beretrieved.

One of the difficulties with known devices is the relatively heavyweight of such device which makes transporting the device from onelocation to another difficult.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a bullet trap which is readilyportable and which minimizes the risk of the bullet passing through atarget and then hitting an unintended person or object.

In accordance with this invention a support member, which is preferablya trailer mounted on wheels, is provided for holding the bullet trapbox. The bullet trap box comprises a pair of spaced side wallsinterconnected by a back wall and having a recessed front face or wall.A bottom wall is below the side walls and the front and back walls,while a top wall is above the side walls and the front and back walls.The top wall is selectively movable from a closed position covering theinterior of the box and to an open position exposing the interior of thebox. Preferably, this is accomplished by hinging the top wall to theback wall. Baffle structure, preferably a plurality of spaced baffleslined with or made from energy absorbing material, is provided in theinterior of the box extending from side wall to side wall so as toabsorb the impact of a bullet shot through the front wall.

In a preferred practice of this invention there is a decrease inthickness of the baffles from the back wall toward the front wall.Preferably, the baffles are removably mounted in place by the provisionof slots created by rubber strips extending down the opposite sidewalls.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable bullet trap which comprises abullet trap box mounted on a wheeled trailer in accordance with thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bullet trap box shown in FIG. 1 withthe top moved to an open position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line3-3; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bullet trap box of FIGS. 1-3 showingthe insertion/removal of one of the baffles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a portable bullet trap 10 in accordance with thisinvention. As shown therein, bullet trap 10 comprises a support member12 mounted on wheels 14 so as to be readily movable from one location toanother. Preferably the support member 12 is a trailer having its wheels14 on each side of the trailer and having a front hitch 16.

A bullet trap box 18 is placed on the upper surface 22 of trailer 12within the upstanding three sided peripheral wall 20. Box 18 could beoriented in any preferred manner on the upper surface 22 of trailer 12.FIG. 1 illustrates the target side or front side of the box located at aside of the trailer. If desired, the front side could be at the rear ofthe trailer and the back side located near the front of the trailertoward the hitch 16.

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate the details of bullet trap box 18. As illustrated,the bullet trap box 18 comprises a pair of spaced side walls 24,24interconnected by a back wall 28 and an open front face or wall 26. Box18 also has a bottom wall 30 and a top wall 32. Top wall 32 isselectively movable from a closed position which covers the interior ofthe box, such as shown in FIG. 1, to an open position exposing theinterior of the box, such as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The movement toand from the closed and open positions may be done in any manner such asby completely removing the top wall or preferably, as illustrated, bysecuring the top wall 32 to the back wall 28 by hinges 34.

A key feature of this invention is the provision of a plurality ofbaffles. In the illustrated embodiment there are four baffles 36, 38, 40and 42. The front most baffle 42 is shown as being spaced inwardly fromthe open front 26 of box 18. See FIG. 3. If desired, however, the baffle42 or a different baffle may be located at and act as the front wall ofbox 18. Baffles 40, 38 and 36 may be considered as a first interiorbaffle and a second interior baffle and a third interior baffle,respectively. A larger or smaller number of baffles could also be used.Where box 18 is used for target practice a target 44 could be located onthe front face of baffle 42 or could be otherwise secured to the openfront 26 of box 18.

Preferably, baffles 36, 38, 40 and 42 are removably mounted within theinterior of box 18. This removable mounting can be done in any suitablemanner. As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 slots are created by securing blocksor strips 46 vertically down the opposite sides 24,24. The spacing ofstrips 46 is selected to snuggly fit each respective baffle in the setsof slots.

In accordance with this invention the baffles are made from an energyabsorbing material, preferably rubber, or are made from any suitablematerial lined with the energy absorbing material or rubber.Additionally, the strips or blocks 46 are also made from energyabsorbing material and the inner side of each wall in box 18 may belined with energy absorbing material, such as rubber.

As best shown in FIG. 3, and also with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, thethickness of baffles 36, 38 and 40 decreases from back to front. Thefront most baffle 42 may be of the same thickness or of a differentthickness from the first interior baffle 40. In a preferred practice ofthis invention each of baffles 40 and 42 is one inch thick, while baffle38 is 2 inches thick and baffle 36 is 3 inches thick. The spacingbetween baffles 36 and 38 and between baffles 38 and 40 and betweenbaffles 40 and 42 is preferably 3 inches, while the spacing betweenbaffle 36 and back wall 28 is preferably 10 inches. Each side 24,24 ispreferably 36 inches wide. The width of the front and sides of box 18may also be 36 inches wide. Preferably, box 36 includes a plurality offeet 48 at each corner which would be placed directly on the uppersurface 22 of trailer 12. Feet 48 elevate box 18 so that there is aspace between the bottom wall 30 of box 18 and the upper surface 22 oftrailer 12 to facilitate a user's hands being inserted in that openspace to manipulate the box when placing it on or removing it from thetrailer. Preferably, the overall height of box 18 including feet 48 is30 inches.

In use, a bullet would be shot toward target 44 and would pass throughthe target and into front most baffle 42. By being made of energyabsorbing material the impact of the bullet would be absorbed by frontbaffle 42 to slow down the bullet. The bullet would continue throughbaffle 42 and strike second baffle 40 where more of its energy would beabsorbed. This process would continue until the impact of the bullet iscompletely absorbed and the bullet would either be trapped in one of thebaffles or would drop to the bottom wall 30 of trap box 18. After thetarget shooting session is finished, top wall 32 would be hinged openand the bullets could be retrieved. If the bullet is lodged in one ofthe baffles, that baffle could be removed by lifting the baffle upwardlyout of box 18. FIG. 4, for example, illustrates baffle 36 in its removedcondition out of box 18. The bullet could then be removed from thebaffle. Similarly, if it is desired to replace one or more of thebaffles because of the bullet holes through the baffle, any or all ofthe baffles could be similarly removed. A new baffle could then beinserted.

After the target practice has been completed, bullet trap box 18 couldbe moved for storage or for use at a different location by couplinghitch 16 of trailer 12 to a vehicle or by even using hitch 18 tomanually pull the trailer 12.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable bullet trap comprising a supportmember, said support member being mounted on wheels for movability ofsaid support member, a bullet trap box mounted on said support member,said bullet trap box comprising a pair of spaced side wallsinterconnected by a front face and a back wall, a bottom wall below saidside walls and said front face and said back wall, a top wall above saidside walls and said front face and said back wall, said top wall beingselectively movable from a closed position covering the interior of saidbox and to an open position exposing said interior of said box, bafflestructure in said box extending from one of said side walls to the otherof said side walls, and said baffle structure being made from energyabsorbing material to absorb the impact of a bullet shot through saidfront face.
 2. The portable bullet trap of claim 1 wherein said bafflestructure comprises a plurality of spaced baffles.
 3. The portablebullet trap of claim 2 wherein at least some of said spaced bafflesdecrease in thickness from back to front of said box.
 4. The portablebullet trap of claim 3 wherein said baffle structure comprises a frontmost baffle and a first interior baffle and a second interior baffle anda third interior baffle, said front most baffle being located at, butspaced inwardly, from said front face of said box, and the thickness ofsaid interior baffles decreasing from back to front.
 5. The portablebullet trap of claim 3 wherein each of said baffles is made of a rubbermaterial which comprises said energy absorbing material.
 6. The portablebullet trap of claim 5 wherein said walls of said box are lined withrubber.
 7. The portable bullet trap of claim 3 wherein said baffles aredetachably mounted in said box by being inserted in sets of spaced slotslocated at said side walls.
 8. The portable bullet trap of claim 7wherein said slots are created by spaced parallel strips of rubbermounted to said side walls.
 9. The portable bullet box of claim 8wherein said top wall is hinged to said back wall.
 10. The portablebullet box of claim 9 wherein said support member is a trailer having ahitch.
 11. The portable bullet trap of claim 10 wherein said trailerincludes an upstanding wall around at least a portion of its periphery,said box having feet extending downwardly below said bottom wall, andsaid feet being mounted within the peripheral upstanding wall of saidtrailer.
 12. The portable bullet trap of claim 2 wherein said top wallis hinged to said back wall.
 13. The portable bullet trap of claim 2wherein said baffles are detachably mounted within said box by being 20inserted in sets of spaced slots at said side walls.
 14. The portablebullet trap of claim 13 wherein said support member is a trailer havinga hitch.
 15. The portable bullet trap of claim 14 wherein said energyabsorbing material is rubber, said walls having a rubber lining, andsaid top wall being hinged to said back wall.